Improved Floor Lashing

Introduction: Improved Floor Lashing

With this improved, or double, floor lashing, the floor spars (floor slats, decking poles) are attached (looped) in two places, on either side to each platform support (stringer pole, rafter). This means, when pulled tight, this lashing makes the platform floor, raft, deck, or walkway, twice as secure.

Step 1: Begin the Lashing Process

a) A clove hitch is tied around the platform support. (Wrap the end around the standing part of the rope.) Make a bight in the running end and pass it over the first floor spar on the inside of the platform support.

b) Grab this bight and pass it underneath the platform support.

c) Next loop it over the first floor spar on the outside of the platform support.

Step 2: Continue and Complete the Lashing

d) Tighten both loops around the first floor spar by pulling the running end extending between the first and second floor spars on top of the platform floor.

e) Repeat this process for each floor spar until you reach the other end.

Step 3: Here's the Process

Throughout the whole Improved Floor Lashing process, except when pulling the running end to tighten the loops around each floor spar (or securing the end of the rope to the platform support), you’re always working with a bight (bite) in the rope.

Step 4: Continuing the Process

The above photos illustrate this simple floor lashing process once you get it going. Reaching the "lashing destination" (arriving at the other end of the platform support and lashing on the final floor spar) is not illustrated, It's simply a matter of finishing up by securing the running end to the platform support with a clove hitch.

The whole process can be done simultaneously on the other side, on the other platform support, or completed one platform support at a time.

Comments

In the past, my Scouts have either used a tedious method whereby you feed the entire rope through each slot, or a "bight" method that only resulted in one pass over each spar. The fact that this method creates two passes over each spar, and yet is still incredibly simple, makes me think, "Why didn't I think of this first?"

Thank you for posting it here! We will be using it at Scout-o-Rama this year, and I'm sure it will speed things up tremendously.